Tubing straightener

ABSTRACT

A tubing straightener includes a housing having a tubing receiving end and a tubing ejection end. At least one set of drive rollers is positioned within the housing and disposed between the first end and the second end. The drive rollers engage tubing to be straightened such that, in use, the drive rollers apply a driving force to the tubing. Each drive roller has more than one circumferential profile for engaging tubing of different diameters. At least one top guide roller and at least one bottom guide roller for guiding the tubing through the housing.

FIELD

A tubing straightener for straightening metal and other types of tubing.

BACKGROUND

Devices used to straighten metal tubes and the like are known, such as the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,293,156 (Mason) entitled “Straightening apparatus”.

SUMMARY

There is provided a tubing straightener, comprising a housing having a tubing receiving end and a tubing ejection end. At least one set of drive rollers is positioned within the housing and disposed between the first end and the second end. The drive rollers engage tubing to be straightened such that, in use, the drive rollers apply a driving force to the tubing. Each drive roller has more than one circumferential profile for engaging tubing of different diameters. At least one top guide roller and at least one bottom guide roller are provided for guiding the tubing through the housing.

According to another embodiment, there is provided a tubing straightener comprising a housing having a tubing receiving end and a tubing ejection end. At least one set of drive rollers is positioned within the housing and disposed between the first end and the second end. The drive rollers engage tubing to be straightened such that, in use, the drive rollers apply a driving force to the tubing. At least one top guide roller and at least one bottom guide roller are provided for guiding the tubing through the housing. A first connection is provided for removably connecting a first power source to the set of drive rollers. A second connection is provided for removably connecting a second power source to the set of drive rollers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially transparent side elevation view of a tubing straightener.

FIG. 2 is a partially transparent side elevation view of a tubing straightener applying a desired curvature of radius to tubing.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view in section of a tubing straightener.

FIG. 4 is an end elevation view in section of a tubing straightener.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A tubing straightener generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 through 4.

Structure and Relationship of Parts:

Tubing straightener 10 is intended to provide a portable and versatile tool for straightening tubing. In order to do this, tubing straightener 10 has been designed to minimize the size and weight of straightener 10 relative to other prior art straighteners, as well as providing options on the types of tubing that can be handled and the type of power sources that can be used. These and other features will become apparent from the description below.

Referring to FIG. 1, tubing straightener 10 has a housing 12 with a tubing receiving end 14 and a tubing ejection end 16. Housing 12 may be mounted on a collapsible stand 17. There are sets of drive rollers 18 positioned within housing 12 and disposed between tubing receiving end 14 and tubing ejection end 16. Referring to FIG. 3, drive rollers 18 have circumferential profiles 20 that define tubing-receiving apertures 22. As shown, drive rollers 18 preferably have more than one circumferential profile 20 of differing sizes, such that more than one size of tubing may be straightened using the same straightener 10, and without modification. For example, two sizes of tubing commonly used are tubing with a diameter of ⅜″ and ½″. Tubing 24 is engaged by drive rollers 18 such that a driving force is applied to drive tubing 24 through housing 12. Referring again to FIG. 1, tubing straightener 10 has top guide rollers 26 and bottom guide rollers 28 for guiding tubing 24 through housing 12. Guide rollers 26 and 28 have a similar circumferential profile 20 to ensure tubing 24 travels in the desired direction, and, as drive rollers 18 are provided in pairs in the depicted embodiment, they rotate in a common plane of rotation. Guide rollers 26 and 28 also rotate in the same common plane of rotation. FIG. 1 shows three sets of drive rollers 18, two top rollers 26 and two bottom rollers 28. However, as will be discussed below, different power supplies may drive different drive rollers 18. In that situation, drive rollers 18 that are not driven act as guide rollers 26 or 28, as the case may be. It will also be noted that, while only one drive roller 18 is directly driven by the power supply in the depicted embodiment, the corresponding drive roller 18 in the set is necessary to ensure that tubing 24 is properly engaged and able to be driven. In a preferred embodiment, the vertical position (assuming straightener 10 is operated in an upright position) of rollers 18, 26 and 28 may be adjusted. In the depicted embodiment, this is done by rotating handles 30 at the top of body 10. Referring to FIG. 2, by raising or lowering one or more rollers, a user is able to apply a desired radius of curvature to the straightened tubing 24. It will be apparent that other roller configurations than those described above are possible. For example, there may be more, or fewer rollers, or rollers in different orientations while ensuring proper operation. These changes may be desired depending on the type of tubing to be straightened, or the situation in which straightener 10 is to be used.

Referring to FIG. 1, tubing straightener 10 has three connections 32, 34, and 36 for removably connecting different power sources to drive rollers 18. The two main power sources contemplated are a motor 38 and a manual crank 40. Connections 34 and 36 are designed to be driven by a manual crank 40 as shown in FIG. 3, which is a cross-sectional view at connection 34, while connection 32 is intended to be driven by a motor 38 as shown in FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view at connection 36. Motor 38 may be, for example, an electric motor, gas powered motor, etc., or may be a hand tool, such as a drill, where connection 32 is inserted where a drill bit is normally inserted. Referring to FIG. 1, larger gears 42 and a smaller gear 44 are connected by a chain 46. This allows each connection 32 and 34 to have a different gear ratio if desired, as well as increasing the number of drive rollers 18 that apply a force to tubing. The gear ratios are preferably selected with the available speed and magnitude of force available from each power source. Connection 36 allows a user to manually drive rollers 18 at ejection end 14, generally to assist in driving tubing if more force is required. Other connection designs, as well as other possible power sources, will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In the depicted embodiment, connections 32, 34 and 36 are shown as having a non-circular cross-section in order to be properly engaged by the desired power source. Other designs may be used, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art to ensure that a useful connection is made.

Operation:

Referring to FIG. 1, in use, tubing 24 is fed into tubing receiving end 14 of housing 12. Depending on the size of the tubing, it is engaged by the corresponding circumferential profile 20 of drive rollers 18. An appropriate power source is connected to either connection 34 or connection 36. In some situations, a motor may not be available, or may not be permitted to be used, for example on some sites where there is a risk of explosive gas being present. In these situations, a hand crank may be used instead. The power source is activated, and drive rollers 18 apply a force to tubing 24 to feed it across guide rollers 26 and 28 through housing 12 and out tubing ejection end 16 to straighten tubing 24. Referring to FIG. 2, if it is desired to apply a curve to tubing 24, the position of one or more rollers 18, 26 or 28 may be adjusted relative to the other rollers.

Advantages:

By designing the tubing straightener to be driven using two different power sources, the straightener can be used in the shop where a motor may be more readily available, as well as on site, where there is not a power source available, or where, due to safety concerns, motors are not permitted. By not having a permanently fixed power source, the versatility and portability of the straightener is increased.

In addition, by designing the rollers to accommodate more than one tubing size, the straightener can be used with common sizes of tubing without having to have more than one straightener, or without having to switch out the rollers.

In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.

The following claims are to understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, and what can be obviously substituted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the described embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope of the claims. The illustrated embodiments have been set forth only as examples and should not be taken as limiting the invention. It is to be understood that, within the scope of the following claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically illustrated and described. 

1. A tubing straightener, comprising: a housing having a tubing receiving end and a tubing ejection end; at least one set of drive rollers positioned within the housing and disposed between the first end and the second end, the drive rollers engaging tubing to be straightened such that, in use, the drive rollers apply a driving force to the tubing, each drive roller having more than one circumferential profile for engaging tubing of different diameters; and at least one top guide roller and at least one bottom guide roller for guiding the tubing through the housing, the drive rollers and the guide rollers straightening the tubing as it passes through the housing.
 2. The tubing straightener of claim 1, wherein the position of at least one guide roller is adjustable such that a desired bend is applied to the tubing.
 3. The tubing straightener of claim 1, further comprising a first connection for removably connecting a first power source to the set of drive rollers, and a second connection for removably connecting a second power source to the set of drive rollers.
 4. The tubing straightener of claim 3, wherein the first connection has a higher gear ratio than the second connection.
 5. The tubing straightener of claim 3, wherein the second connection is connected to the set of rollers closest to the tubing ejection end of the housing.
 6. The tubing straightener of claim 3, further comprising a third connection for removably connecting one of the first power source and the second power source to a set of drive rollers closest to the tubing ejection end of the housing.
 7. The tubing straightener of claim 3, wherein the first power source is a manual crank, and the second power source is a motor.
 8. A tubing straightener, comprising: a housing having a tubing receiving end and a tubing ejection end; at least one set of drive rollers positioned within the housing and disposed between the first end and the second end, the drive rollers engaging tubing to be straightened such that, in use, the drive rollers apply a driving force to the tubing; at least one top guide roller and at least one bottom guide roller for guiding the tubing through the housing, the drive rollers and the guide rollers straightening the tubing as it passes through the housing; a first connection for removably connecting a first power source to the set of drive rollers; and a second connection for removably connecting a second power source to the set of drive rollers.
 9. The coil tubing straightener of claim 8, wherein each roller in a set of rollers rotates on a common plane of rotation.
 10. The coil tubing straightener of claim 9, wherein each roller has more than one circumferential profile of differing sizes, such that the rollers define more than one tubing-receiving apertures of differing sizes.
 11. The tubing straightener of claim 8, wherein the position of at least one guide roller is adjustable such that a desired bend is applied to the tubing.
 12. The tubing straightener of claim 8, wherein the first connection has a higher gear ratio than the second connection.
 13. The tubing straightener of claim 8, wherein the second connection is connected to the set of rollers closest to the tubing ejection end of the housing.
 14. The tubing straightener of claim 8, further comprising a third connection for removably connecting one of the first power source and the second power source to a set of drive rollers closest to the tubing ejection end of the housing.
 15. The tubing straightener of claim 8, wherein the first power source is a manual crank, and the second power source is a motor. 